need data and suggestions for 338 lapua

[ragman]

Have a Sako trg-42 with 10-1 twist. want to start reloading. i wil use this for hunting and want a good bullet i.e. accubond etc. 250 grain. need powder,primer, bullet and reloading data for best accuracy. also a good place to get dies.

 

[jmden]

Alot of guys on this site use the 300g Sierra MatchKing (SMK). It has a proven track record of game taking. Retumbo or H-1000 would likely be good powders to look at. Retumbo in the mid to upper 90's (grains) and H-1000 probably in the lower 90's, from what I recall. I'm sure you'll get more help here soon. Good luck.

 

[Tikkamike]

I am building a 338 Lapua and your thread caught my eye, I was hoping you would have more answers. Here is what I have been thinking. I plan on using a 350 grain Tripple shock with Federal 215 primers and a nice slow burning powder. Little side question. what scop do you have on your TRG and what distances are you shooting?

 

[jmden]

I am building a 338 Lapua and your thread caught my eye, I was hoping you would have more answers. Here is what I have been thinking. I plan on using a 350 grain Tripple shock with Federal 215 primers and a nice slow burning powder. Little side question. what scop do you have on your TRG and what distances are you shooting?

Do you mean a 250g TSX? ...with a G1 bc of .425, acc'd to Barnes?? Or a 225 TTSX with a Barnes derived G1 bc of .514. Often manufacturer bc numbers are derived at velocites of 3K and so the bc number is only good for that velocity and drops off substanially at lower velocities important to long range hunters due the distances bullets are traveling in a long range hunting sceneario.

G1 bc of the 300 SMK is (averaged) about .745. Potentially, quite a difference to the long range hunter from the Barnes bullets. Litz's experimentally derived data shows a G1 bc of .802 at 3K and above, .769 at 2.5K, .742 at 2K and .665 at 1.5K fps.

 

[Tikkamike]

JMDEN,

OOPS yeah i meant 250 gr I was holding my daughter and she likes to help me make posts on here. she is only 6 months but loves talking guns...Anyway, The reason I am leaning toward the 250 tsx is I am a advocate of bullet weight retention. BC does not mean everything to me. I realize it is a vital part of the equation but I dont think it is everything. With a good bullet drop compensating optics system it really broadens the selection of good bullets and weights. you can use. I am thinking about trying the SMK's because it sounds like too cool of a bullet not to try.

 

[D.ID]

of course the higher bc bullets retain velocity longer and reduce wind drift. I still have a lot of work to do determining wind speed at distance so less Wind drift is always better. With modern optics and an accurate rifle the wind is the biggest obstacle left but I'm working on it.

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

TikkaMike, When the lapua first came out a few of us around the country got our best results with 250 grain and lighter bullets with winchester WMR. They have now discontinued that powder but I bought up about 250 pounds before supplies ran out. I have quite a bit of it if you want to try some. I have tons of load data with it and the lapua. You are not that far from me. I go through Basin regularly and might could help you out. With the 250 grain I was getting over 3100 fps with spreads less than 10 fps out of a 26" barrel. Got other data with other powders also. The big bullets kick like a mule out of hunting weight rifles so I focussed more on the lighter stuff. They do very well inside a 1000 yards where I do most of my shooting.

 

[Tikkamike]

Long Time Long Ranger, Krieger wont have my barrel done for 18-20 weeks they waid so im gonna be a little while before I can start load development. I very well may take you up on your offer. You come through Basin regularly huh? what town do you live in?

 

[jmden]

Ballistic comparision between Barnes 250g and 300 SMK at 5K ft., standard atm. pressure, 50% rh, 30 deg using velocities that I think are reasonable from a chambering like the 340Wby--someone can correct my est. MV's if they'd like to as I don't have a great deal of experience with that chambering. Just numbers, yes, but at some point, numbers can give valid comparisons.

The numbers for the Barnes are generous as it is using Barnes G1 bc of .425 (likely derived at 3k fps) for the entire flight of the bullet using Exbal.

The numbes for the 300SMK are derived using Litz's experimental data which show significant decrease in bc over the flight of the bullet. Exbal used for both.

300SMK at 2680fps MV:

@500 yds--2199fps and 3222 ft. lbs., 9.5 MOA ele. adj. from 100yd 0, 2 MOA for 10mph crosswind

@1K yds--1752 fps and 2045 ft. lbs., 26.75 MOA ele. adj. from 100yd 0, 4.5 MOA for 10mph crosswind



250 Barnes at 2900 fps MV:

@500 yds--2024 fps and 2275 ft. lbs., 9.25 MOA ele. adj. from 100yd 0, 3.5 MOA for 10 mph crosswind

@1K yds--1336 fps and 990 ft. lbs., 30.5 MOA ele. adj. from 100yd 0, 8.5 MOA for 10 mph crosswind



I know which bullet I'd rather shoot. Just me.

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

Jmden, I think your input is about right for the average 340. I agree the 300 smk which I use quite a bit will just flat out run off and leave the others in the dust. In my light rifles it kicks like a mule though and although the lighter bullets do not compare with the 300 at longer ranges they have plenty to do the job as long as you can get a mid .5 bc up in the 3300 + fps range in 225+ grains of weight. If I am hunting an area where I may shoot around a 1000+ yards just take the beating and shoot the 300 grain.

Tikkamike, I am down at the hot springs south of you about 50 miles.

 

[Tikkamike]

Oh well I drive through there every friday taking pumps down to wamsutter. I hunt elk over on Grass Creek just over the hill from you. ..Back to the 300 grain SMK's how are they for a hunting bullet? Do they retain weight well? Of coarse when your shooting 300 grains you can afford to shed a little weight.

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

The biggest problem most people get with the 300 smk is not opening up enough. It will shoot completely through an elk at 1000 yards. Good long range bullet for elk, just kicks to bad in a light gun. Most of mine weigh in the 10-11 pound range scoped out with bipod.

Been in grass creek a few times and I have taken some really nice antelope down around Wamsutter.

 

[Tikkamike]

Well I think I will try those suckers out. My grandpa owns the Box H ranch up by the HD and the LU Ranch. And Wamsutter has some monster antelope. I was contracting for Williams gas down there this summer in the Red Desert and saw some amazing goats.

 

[jmden]

Jmden, I think your input is about right for the average 340. I agree the 300 smk which I use quite a bit will just flat out run off and leave the others in the dust. In my light rifles it kicks like a mule though and although the lighter bullets do not compare with the 300 at longer ranges they have plenty to do the job as long as you can get a mid .5 bc up in the 3300 + fps range in 225+ grains of weight. If I am hunting an area where I may shoot around a 1000+ yards just take the beating and shoot the 300 grain.

Tikkamike, I am down at the hot springs south of you about 50 miles.

Yeah, I think I'd be much more likely to shoot a 250 AB with a much better bc.